Don’t Flirt with Disaster: Proper Planning for Hazardous Materials Emergencies
Mark McDaniel*
Michelle Dallessandro
AlterEcho, Chicago, IL, and Wheeling, WV
Recent releases of hazardous chemicals into the environment serve as reminders of the importance of proper storage and management of chemicals at industrial facilities and the critical importance of emergency response. This course will highlight proper storage and management of chemicals and waste materials and the procedures that should be followed in the event of a release of a chemical or toxic waste material at an industrial plant. Regulatory procedures for reporting releases, coordinating response efforts with emergency responders, monitoring strategies and equipment requirements, and documenting that the release has been safely and properly contained will be discussed. Fundamentals of Chemical and Waste Material Storage and Management(1 Hr) Storage and Management of Chemicals and Wastes at a Facility: Discuss systems used to store and manage chemicals and waste materials, regulations that govern these systems and emergency response planning documents. Managing an Emergency Response Action (3 hrs) Common Issues that Cause Releases to the Environment: Trainers share experiences with environmental releases that have resulted in emergency response actions. Reporting an Environmental Release: Discuss regulations that must be addressed when a chemical is released to the environment. Coordination with Local, State and Federal Responders: Learn how to work effectively with local, state and federal response teams. Monitoring and Sampling Equipment: Discuss types of equipment that should be immediately available and the applicability and proper operation of equipment in order to detect chemicals in the environment. Documentation of Release Containment or Remediation: Learn how to properly document that the chemical has been contained or remediated in accordance with applicable regulations.